Third rail shoe mount



May 7, 1963 A. G. DEAN ETAL.

THIRD RAIL SHOE MOUNT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 2, 1960 FIG- 1 -FICI-Z (Q mm? H -D m M. n m s y nWR 21 www TP Y B w.

May 7, 1963 A. G. DEAN ETAL THIRD RAIL SHOE MOUNT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 2, 1960 PIG-AL INVENTORS. Albqri CI. DZGTL BY Paul W. Cmensslz.

A TTORNE Y United States Patent 3,089,005 THIRD RAIL SHOE MOUNT Albert G. Dean, Narberth, and Paul W. Gaenssle, Abington, Pa., assignors to The Budd Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed May 2, 1960, Ser. No. 26,156 4 Claims. (Cl. 19149) This invention relates to a third rail shoe mount and has for an object the provision of improvements in this art.

One of the particular objects of the invention is to provide a third rail shoe mount which is simple, inexpensive, efiicient and durable.

Another object is to provide means for limiting the movement of the shoe between upper and lower stops.

Another object is to provide means for limiting the longitudinal movement and twist in a leaf spring mounted shoe so as to absorb the blows and strains in service While holding the shoe in proper operating position.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of an exemplary embodiment, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a railway truck showing a third rail shoe mount carried on a beam thereon;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevation taken on the line 3--3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a horizontal section take-n on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

A large insulating beam 10, as of wood, carried by and between the journal housings of a truck frame in a usual manner supports the third rail shoe mount in proper position for the shoe 11 to slide along the lower surface of a third rail 12 carried by spaced supports 13 alongside the track.

The shoe 1-1 is mounted on the lower limb of a hairpin shaped bent leaf spring 15, being secured thereto by bolts 16. The upper limb of the leaf spring is secured, as by bolts 17, to the horizontal portion of a strong bent support member 18.

The support member -18 is provided with vertical slots 19 and over each slot has integrally secured thereto, as by brazing or welding, a slotted notched plate 20 which cooperates with a notched washer 21 carried on a bolt 22 which secures the support member to the beam 10. By this arrangement vertical adjustment of the support member 18 is provided.

The lower vertical portion of the support member 18 is provided with an opening 24 which receives the lower limb of the bent leaf spring and limits its vertical travel. If the spring should become weak it cannot let the shoe move down below an operating position, or at least will hold the shoe up above obstructions along the right of way which would break it off its support.

Longitudinal movement and twisting of the spring are limited by a guard 25 which has an outwardly bent flange 26 by which it is mounted in the shoe and spring joint by the bolts 16. The vertical plate portion of the guard, at each end, is provided with a rearwardly bent flange 27 lying closely alongside an edge of the lower vertical portion of the support member 18. This relationship can be seen quite well in FIGS. 1 and 4.

The shoe 11 has connected to it as by a bolt 29, a flat braided electrical cable 30 which, at a lateral projection of a bar 31 secured to the support member by the bolts 17, is connected, as by a bolt 28, to an upper flat braided electrical cable 32. The upper end of cable 32 is secured, as by a bolt 33, to the top bar 34 of a U-shaped frame which includes vertical bars 35 secured to the beam 10 by bolts 36. The bars 35 are secured to the top bar 34 by bolts 37. An enclosure 38 is provided on the front of the frame for fuses, switches, connections or the like. There will be an ofitake conductor leading from the cable 32 to the car but it is not shown herein. The cables are all suitably insulated where necessary as is usual.

It is thus seen that the invention provides a third rail shoe mount which is simple, sturdy and reliable, which limits the vertical movement of the shoe support and also limits longitudinal movement and twisting.

While one embodiment has been illustrated and described by w-ay of example it is to be understood that there may be various embodiments and modifications within the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A third rail shoe mount adapted to be connected to a truck borne insulating mounting beam, comprising an oiiset support member having a slotted upper vertical portion adjustably secured to said beam, a horizontal portion and a lower vertical portion with a rectangular opening therein, a bent U-shaped leaf spring having an upper limb secured to the horizontal portion of said support member and a lower limb passing through said rectangular opening, a third rail shoe and a guard both secured to the lower limb of the spring outside said opening, said guard including longitudinally spaced vertical flanges flanking the sides of said support member to limit the lateral movement of said lower spring limb in said opening and limiting twisting, the top and bottom edges of the opening limiting the vertical movement of the lower spring limb.

2. A spring supported third rail shoe device adapted to be attached to railway trucks comprising in combination, an offset vertical plate having an aperture in the lower portion, a bent leaf spring attached at one end to said plate inboard said plate and having a free end passing through said aperture outboard said plate, and a shoe at tached to said spring at said free end whereby movement of said shoe is limited in all directions by the restriction of said spring in said aperture.

3. In a combination according to claim 2 wherein a channel shaped guard enclosing said lower portion of said plate is attached to said shoe at said free end of said spring to prevent lateral movement of said spring and said shoe, and to prevent torsion in said spring by restricting lateral and torsional movements of said shoe.

4. A spring supported third rail shoe device adapted to be attached to railway trucks comprising in combination, an oifset vertical plate having an aperture in the lower portion, a bent leaf spring having one end fixed to said plate and located inboard said plate and having a free end passing through said aperture outboard said plate, and a shoe attached to said spring at said free end whereby movement of said shoe is limited in all directions by the restriction of said spring in said aperture.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 587,214 Krotz et :al. July 27, 18.97 761,432 Warren May 31, 1904 869,465 Stewart Oct. 29, 1907 |1,154,2:93 Cross Sept. 21, 1915 1,169,865 Raydure Feb. 1, 1916 1,7 66,639 Howe June 24, 1930 2,161,100 Sierk June 26, 1939 2,967,915 Dean Jan. 10, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 547,214 Germ-any Mar. 26, 1932 

1. A THIRD RAIL SHOE MOUNT ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO A TRUCK BORNE INSULATING MOUNTING BEAM, COMPRISING AN OFFSET SUPPORT MEMBER HAVING A SLOTTED UPPER VERTICAL PORTION ADJUSTABLY SECURED TO SAID BEAM, A HORIZONTAL PORTION AND A LOWER VERTICAL PORTION WITH A RECTANGULAR OPENING THEREIN, A BENT U-SHAPED LEAF SPRING HAVING AN UPPER LIMB SECURED TO THE HORIZONTAL PORTION OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBER AND LOWER LIMB PASSING THROUGH SAID RECTANGULAR OPENING, A THIRD RAIL SHOE AND A GUARD BOTH SECURED TO THE LOWER LIMB OF THE SPRING OUTSIDE SAID OPENING, SAID GUARD INCLUDING LONGITUDINALLY SPACED VERTICAL FLANGES FLANKING THE SIDES OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBER TO LIMIT THE LATERAL MOVEMENT OF SAID LOWER SPRING LIMB IN SAID OPENING AND LIMITING TWISTING, THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES OF THE LIMB. 